Phonograph



20, 1939. R. M. SOMERS PHONOGRAPH Filed Jan. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 ORNEY Pz chard M. 501776 June 20, 1939. R, M, so s 1 2,162,981

raonosrmru Filed Jan. 3, i958 2 smu -sh: 2

..|u INVENTOR P/charcl M50755:

1 TORNEY Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE PHONOGRAPH Application January 3, 1938, Serial No. 183,027

22 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs of the acoustical type which employ tubes or other means for conducting sound between the machine and points remote therefrom. It is primarily concerned with improved sound-conveying means for coupling a fixedly mounted sound-conveying tube to a movably mounted sound-translating device in phonographs of this type.

The acoustical phonograph of the commercial type employs a record, commonly of cylindrical form, and a sound-translating device which moves across the record. In recording, the soundtranslating device is adapted to receive sound waves and impress or cut on the record surface a progressive groove modulated in accordance with those waves. In reproducing, the sound-translating device is adapted to follow and engage with such a modulated groove to create sound waves in accordance with the modulations of the groove. For conducting the sound wave-s to, and away from, the translating device there is employed a sound-conveying tube which is usually coupled directly to the sound-translating device. The end of the tube so coupled will then move longitudinally of the record with the sound translating device, the other portion of the tube being properly extended forwardly of the phonograph in order to be conveniently accessible to the operator.

The sound-conveying tube is of considerable length in order to provide a reasonable degree of freedom to the operator. Because of such length it must have a fairly large cross sectional area in order to provide a sound duct that will efficiently convey the sound waves. As a result in conventional phonographs the tube tends to obstruct the accessibility to the forward portion of the machine, in which portion there are suitably located manipulative means, usually in the vicinity of the translating device, for operating the machine.

The conventional direct coupling of the soundconveying tube to the sound-translating device is particularly objectionable in phonographs having closely fitting cabinets such as those adapted for use on the desk of the operator. In such a cabinet there is insufficient space for housing the speaking tube. Whenever the tube is directly coupled to the translating device it must then be detached before the cabinet can be closed. The sound-conveying tube may, however, be detachably connected to a stationary portion of the phonograph, and by sound-conveying means of variable acoustical length, be suitably coupled to the movable translating device. Such connection may, if desired, be made on the exterior side of a stationary wall portion of the phonograph cabinet, thereby. permitting the cabinet to be closed without detaching the speaking tube. Even if such connection is made to the phonograph within the cabinet, the location of this connection may be chosen at will so that the tube will not obstruct the accessibility to the manipulative means for operating the phonograph. Such coupling of the tube to the soundtranslating device also provides greater latitude in the design of the machineit particularly permitting the sound-translating device and the record which it engages to be substantially completely closed along the forward side of the phonograph, thereby safeguarding the record and translating device from damage, as by improper manipulations of inexperienced operators.

It is therefore an object of my invention to pro-. vide improvements in the structural arrangement of acoustical phonographs for making such machines more conveniently operable.

It is another object to provide improvements facilitating the operation of acoustical phonographs which are enclosed by closely fitting cabinets.

It is another object to provide improved means whereby a sound-conveying tube may be coupled to an acoustical phonograph at any desired location with respect thereto.

It is another object to provide, in acoustical phonographs, simplified and compactly arranged means for coupling a fixedly mounted soundconveying tube to a movably mounted soundtranslating device.

It is another object to provide improved means whereby the record and the sound-translating device, in acoustical phonographs of the commercial type, may be suitably enclosed for protection against damage thereto.

Other and allied objects will more fully appear in the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of an acoustical phonograph, showing one form of my invention as applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of that form of my invention as applied to the phonograph of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

' a phonograph record Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a modified form of my invention.

Reference being bad to Figures 1 and 3 there will be seen a portion of a commercial phonograph of the type commonly used in the recordation and reproduction of dictation. This phonograph comprises a base plate I which has secured thereto, or integral therewith, suitable standards for supporting the principal parts of the phonograph. Such standards comprise the respective left and right standards 2 and 3 and an intermediate standard 4. The standard 4 has a bearing 5 for rotatably supporting the shaft 6 of a record support or mandrel 6. This mandrel may be of any suitable form for removably holding In a preferred form, well known in the art, the mandrel is adapted to receive a record and hold it in place by means of an expansible chuck 8 located at its free end, this chuck being collapsible by the operation of an axially movable member 9 for removing the record from the mandrel.

The standards 2 and 3 serve to support the longitudinal rods Ill and H. Slidably mounted on these rods is a carriage I2 which has an arm l3 held pivotally thereto by a pivot M. The arm l3 carries a feed nut l5 adapted to engage with a feed screw l6, this screw being rotatably held by the standards 2 and 3. The feed screw I6 is suitably geared to the mandrel 6 by means of a train of gears I! so that rotation of the mandrel will efiect rotation of the feed screw 26. Such rotation may be effected by any suitable rotatory source of power, such as by a motor (not shown) which may be coupled as by a belt to a pulley l8 which is rotatably supported by the standard 2. This pulley is located with its axis in alignment with the shaft 6 of the mandrel 6, and is provided with a hub forming a clutch member 9 arranged to cooperate with a clutch collar 20. T1118 collar is keyed to the shaft 6', and slidably mounted thereon so that it may be moved into and out of engagement with the member !9 for coupling the mandrel 6, at will, with the pulley l8.

The carriage |2 carries a sound translating device 2| which is adjustable by means of a control lever 22 to a neutral or inoperative position, such as shown in Figure 3, and to respective operative positions for recording and reproducing. When adjusted for recording it is adapted to receive sound waves and impart a movement in accord ance with those waves to a stylus 23, and, when adjusted for reproducing, to create sound waves in accordance with .an undulating movement imparted to a stylus 24 by the engagement of the stylus with a progressive modulated groove on the record 1. The control lever 22 maybe swung downwardly and upwardly from its neutral or inoperative position to its respective operative positions of recording and reproducing. In the recording and reproducing positions the respective styli 23 and 24 are brought into engagement with the record 7. In moving the control lever 22 to these respective operative positions the feed nut I5 is brought into engagement with the feed screw Hi. When the control lever 22 is moved to its neutral position each of the styli of the translating device 2| is removed from contact with the record I, and the feed nut I5 is disengaged from the feed screw I6.

For conveying the sound to, and away from, I

the sound-translating device 2|, there is provided on such device an upwardly extending tubular member 25. Usually coupled to this member 25 is a flexible sound-conveying tube or speaking tube which carries at its far end a handpiece usable as a mouthpiece in recording and as an earpiece in reproducing. This form of sound-conveying tube is old in the art and need not herein be shown. It is for reasons aforementioned that it is frequently objectionable to have this tube coupled directly to the soundtranslating device. In my invention I provide compactly arranged and highly simplified sound conveying means for coupling the translating device to a sound-conveying tube which is fixedly connected in some convenient location. The means which I provide is of fixed length, this length being substantially equal to that of the path traversed by the translating device. This means is therefore particularly adapted to phonographs which are compactly arranged and enclosed by closely fitting cabinets, such as those for desk use. By this means I am enabled to connect the sound-conveying tube to any desired stationary portion of the phonograph. Consequently, the sound-conveying tube may be located so that it will not obstruct those portions to which access is necessary for the operation of the phonograph, one of such portions being the space in the vicinity of the translating device 2| wherein there are suitably provided manipulative means for operating the phonograph such, for example, as the control lever 22. Although I illustrate my invention with specific embodiments it is to be understood that it is not neces-- sarily limited to such embodiments, as it contemplates, in its broader aspects, the coupling of a fixedly mountedsound-conveying tube to a movably mounted tube by means which are substantially disposed within the length of travel of the movable tube.

Reference being had to the figures, there will be seen a member 26 having a bar portion 26' with a channel 21 of any suitable cross section, such as shown in Figure 3. The member 255 may be sutiably cast and thereby be provided with the left and right arms 26 and 29 which are respectively secured to the left and right standards 2 and 3, as by the respective screws 28 and 29', for supporting the bar portion 26' in a suitable position relative to the phonograph. In such position the channel 2! extends along the path of the translating device 2|, it being very desirably disposed along its path rearwardly and upwardly of the translating device. It is preferred that the translating device 2| be'rectilinearly movable, and for this case that the channel 21 be likewise rectilinear, but, it is obvious that the movement of the translating device need not necessarily be so restricted as my invention contemplates a channel or sound duct that is disposed along or in any proper fixed space relationship with respect to the path of the translating device.

For closing the open front side of the channel 27 there is provided a flexible member or ribbon 36 which is movably mounted for sliding movement along the open side of the channel. For such mounting of the ribbon 30 there is provided the upper and lower grooves 3| and 32 which extend along the open side of the channel 21, and in which the ribbon 30 is adapted to slide. The grooves 3| and 32 are made deep in order that the ribbon 30 may substantially completely close the open side of the channel. The grooves 3| and 32 are formed by providing recesses along the front walls of the bar portion 25 which are adjacent to the open side of the channel 2?. Suitably secured to the upper front wall of the bar portion 26, as by the screws 33, is a bar-shaped member 34 which forms the forward wall of the groove 3|. Similarly, a barshaped member 35 secured to the lower front wall of the bar portion 26', or by the screws 38, forms the forward wall of the groove 32.

In the channel 27 there is provided a closure member 37 which conforms to the channel and slides longitudinally thereof. This closure member forms, along its forward wall, a substantially air-tight seal with the ribbon 38, the ribbon being suitably secured to the member 31 by means of the screws 38. The closure member 3'! is preferably extended longitudinally of the channel 27 and provided with a sound duct 39 which extends through the forward side wall of the clo sure member and also the left end wall thereof. This duct extends forwardly of the member 3?, as by the tubular extending portion Ml, the ribbon 35 being provided with a suitable aperture for this portion. The tubular member 25 of thesound-translating device 2| is coupled to this tubular portion it and forms thereby a continuous sound duct between the channel portion closed by the ribbon and the translating device 2 By this means the translating device 2| is rigidly connected to the closure member 31, and therefore any movement of the translating device longitudinally of the record i will cause the closure member 37 and ribbon 30 to be similariy moved along the channel 21.

The left end of the channel 21 communicates with a sound-conveying tube All which may, for example, form the speaking tube for the phonograph. For forming this coupling between the tube 58 and the channel 27 there is provided an L-shaped tubular member 4| which has an end portion 4|" fully conforming with the open end of the channel 2?, this portion being suitably secured to the bar 25, as by soldering or welding. The upper end portion of the member 4| is preferably circular in form and extended upwardly of the bar 25. To this upper portion there is coupled the tube it), the coupling being made secure as by the screw 4|. The forward wall of the portion M" of the member 4| slidably engages with the ribbon 30 to form a substantially air-tight closure therewith. Consequently, a

continuous sound duct of variable length is formed between the sound-conveying tube 45' and the translating device 2|, this sound duct being in length substantially equal to the distance between the translating device and one and of its path of travel.

The end portion of the ribbon 30 which moves away from the channel 2? may very desirably be extended and spirally wound about a cylindrical member 432 which is rotatably mounted on the arm 25 of the bar 26, as by the pivot 43. This member 42 is biased in a clockwise direc tion by means of a spiral spring 4 thereby maintaining the ribbon under tension. There may also be provided with the member 62 a pawl 45 and ratchet 46 for limiting the clockwise rotation of the member 62. The pawl 45 is biased against the ratchet 45 by means of the spring 5'! and is provided with a forwardly extending arm 55 so that it may be manually disengaged from the ratchet 45. Although the translating device 2| is biased in a leftwlse direction, as by the biasing force applied to the ribbon 35, the pawl and ratchet arrangement will limit any leftwise movement of the translating device whenever the feed nut I5 is disengaged from the feed screw l6, such as would occur, for example, momentarily whenever the control lever 22 is moved from one of its operative positions through its neutral position to the other of its operative positions. Whenever the translating device 2| is to be moved in a leftwlse direction, as during the conditioning of the phonograph for a new recording, the control lever 22 is first moved to its neutral or inoperative position and the pawl 45 is then manually disengaged from the ratchet 45, as by the arm 45. The biasing force applied to the ribbon 39 may then be sufiicient to cause the translating device 2| to automatically move to the left end of its path of travel.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modified form of my invention in which there is provided a member 48 having a bar portion 48' with a channel section 49 therein which is closed at its right end. The member 48 may be suitably cast and thereby provided with the left and right arms 50 and 5| which make suitable connection to the respective left and right standards 2 and 3 for supporting the bar portion 48 in its proper position relative to the phonograph. The bar portion 58 may in all respects be similar to the bar portion 25 of my preferred embodiment except for having a wall portion suitably closing the right end of the channel 49, the left end of the channel communicating with a tube, such as 49', by means of a tubular member which is in all respects similar to the member 4| of my preferred embodiment.

On the respective left and right arms 50 and 5| there are rotatably mounted the cylindrical members 52 and 53, as by the res ective pivots 55 and 55. Disposed preferably under tension about these members 52 and 53 is a continuous ribbon 56. The forward rectilinear portion of this ribbon 56 is adapted to slide along the open side of the channel section 59 and close this open side of the channel section in the same manner as the ribbon 30 closes the open side of the channel 2! in my preferred embodiment. In the forward rectilinear portion of the ribbon 55 there is provided a suitable aperture in which there is fitted a tubular element 5?, this element being suitably secured to the ribbon 56 as by soldering. This tubular element 51 is adapted to be coupled with the tubular member 25 of the translating device 2| to form a continuous sound duct between the movable translating device 2| and the fixedly mounted sound-conveying tube 50 by way of the channel section 49. The coupling between the tubular element 5'l and the sound-translating device 2| is made sufiiciently secure so that any movement of the translating device 2| will cause the rectilinear portion of the ribbon 56 to be moved therewith along the channel section 49, such movement of course causing the circular members 52 and 53 to be rotated.

Although I have described my invention in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of my invention which I now undertake to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable with respect to record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: means of fixed overall iength for conveying sound, communicating with the fixed end of said tube and extending along the path of said device, saidmeans of fixed overall length including means providing a movable side opening therein; and a tube coupling said opening with said translating de- VICE.

2. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable with respect to a record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: sound-conveying means having a duct communicating with the fixed end of said tube and disposed in fixed spaced relation to said phonograph, said soundconveying means including means providing a side opening therein movable substantially throughout the length thereof; and a tube coupling said opening with said device.

3. In a system comprising a phonograph having a rectilinearly movable sound-translating device, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: means of fixed overall length for conveying sound, communicating with the fixed end of said tube and disposed substantially parallel to the path of said device, said means of fixed overall length including means provid ing a longitudinally movable side opening therein; and a tube coupling said opening with said device.

4. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable with respect to a record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: a conduit cornmunicating at one end with said tube and extending along the path of said device, said conduit means providing a longitudinally movable side opening therein; a closure member for the other end of said conduit; and sound-conveying means coupling said opening with said translating device.

5. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable with re-,

spect to a record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device connected at one end thereof to said phonograph means of fixed overall length for conveying sound, communicating with said connected end of said tube and extending along the path of said device, said means including means providing a longitudinally movable side opening therein; and a tube, connected between said opening and said device, for coupling said opening with said translating device andmoving said opening by the movement of said device.

6. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable with re spect to a record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: a conduit communicating at one end with said tube and extending along the path of said device; a longitudinally extending closure member movable along said conduit, having a sound duct communicating with said conduit and extending through a side wall portion of said closure member, said conduit hav ing a wall section movable with said closure member; and sound conveying means connecting said closure member with said translating device for coupling said duct with said device and for moving said closure member along said conduit by the movement of said device.

7. In a system comprising a phonograph having a sound-translating device movable along a path with respect to a record, and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with'respect to the phonograph: soundconveying means communicating with said tube and having a length substantially equal to the length of said path, said sound-conveying means including means providing a longitudinally movable side opening therein; and a tube coupling said opening with said device.

8. A phonograph comprising a rectilinearly movable sound-translating device and a soundconveying tube for said device terminating at one end of the path of said device; means forming a sound duct between said tube and said device of variable length substantially equal to the distance between said device and said end of its path, comprising a conduit communicating with said tube and extending along the path of said device, said conduit including means providing a side opening therein and movable therealong; and rigid sound-conveying means coupling said opening with said device.

9. In a phonograph comprising a movable sound-translating device and a sound-conveying tube for said device: a member having a channel section communicating with said tube and extending along the path of said device; a ribbon portion closing the open side of said channel and mounted for movement longitudinally thereof; said portion being provided with an opening; sound-conveying means coupling said opening with said device; and rotary means disposed at each end of said channel section for supportingsaid ribbon.

10. In a phonograph comprising a movable sound-translating device and a sound-conveying tube for said device: a member having a channel extending along the path of said device and communicating with said tube; a ribbon closing the open side of said channel and slidably mounted for movement longitudinally thereof; a longitudinally extending closure member slidably mounted in said channel and secured to said ribbon, said closure member having a sound duct communicating at one end with said channel and at the other end with said device.

11. A phonograph comprising a rectilinearly movable sound-translating device and a soundconveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph; a conduit disposed along the path of said device and communicating with said tube, said conduit comprising a longitudinally movable wall section having an opening communicating with said device; means for moving said device in one of its movable directions; and ,means for biasing said section in the opposite direction.

12. In a phonograph comprising a movably mounted sound-translating device and a soundconveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: a member having a channel section extending along the path of said device and communicating at one end with said tube; a continuous ribbon having a portion with an opening communicating with said device, said portion being disposed along the open side of said channel and mounted for movement longitudinally thereof; and rotary means, disposed at each end of said channel, for supporting other portions of said ribbon.

13. In a phonograph comprising a movably mounted sound-translating device and a soundconveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: a member having a channel section communicating with said tube and extending along the path of said device; a ribbon closing the open side of said channel and slidably mounted for movement longitudinally thereof, said ribbon being provided with an opening; and sound-conveying means coupling said opening with said translating device.

14. A phonograph comprising a rectilinearly movable sound-translating device and a soundconveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph; a conduit communicating with said tube and having wall portions movable along the path of said device, said wall portions forming a side and end thereof and having an opening communicating with said device, and means for biasing said Wall portions along said path in one direction.

15. In a phonograph comprising a movable sound-translating device and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: means for coupling said tube to said device comprising a member having a channel extending along the path of said device; a circular member rotatably mounted at one end of said channel; a ribbon having a portion closing the open side of said channel and movable therealong, said ribbon being secured to said device and having another portion spirally wound about said circular member; and biasing means operating on said member for maintaining said ribbon under tension.

16. In a phonograph comprising a movable sound-translating device and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: means for coupling said tube to said device comprising a conduit having a ribbon connected to said device and forming a longitudinally movable Wall section of said conduit; rotatably biased means supporting an end portion of said ribbon; and a pawl and ratchet arrangement cooperating with said biased means for limiting the movement of said ribbon in its biased direction.

17. In a phonograph comprising a movable sound-translating device and a sound-conveying tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to the phonograph: means for coupling said tube to said device comprising a conduit having a ribbon connected to said device and forming a longitudinally movable wall section of said conduit; rotatably biased means supporting an end portion of said ribbon; a pawl and ratchet arrangement for limiting the movement of said ribbon in its biased direction; and an extension on said pawl for manually disengaging said pawl from said ratchet.

18. In a phonograph, in combination, a support for a record, a sound-translating device movable with respect to the record means of fixed overall length for conveying sound to and from said device, and means for varying the length of the sound duct in said means of fixed overall length by the movement of said device.

19. In a phonograph, in combination, a support for a record, a sound-translating device movable along a path with respect to the record, soundconveying means for said device of a length substantially equal to the length of said path, and means for varying the length of the sound duct in said sound-conveying means by the movement of said device.

20. In a system comprising a phonograph having a record support and a sound-translating device movable thereacross: a tubular member secured to said phonograph; and sound-conveying means, terminating in a fixed location with respect to said tubular member and having an overall length substantially equal to the length of the path of said translating device, for coupling said tubular member with said translating device irrespective of the position of the translating device in its path.

21. In a system comprising a phonograph having a record support and a sound-translating device movable thereacross: a tubular member secured to said phonograph; and a structure of fixed overall length having a sound duct variable in length through a distancesubstantially equal to the overall length of said structure, for coupling said tubular member with said translating device irrespective of the position of the translating device in its path.

22. In a system comprising a phonograph having a movably mounted sound-translating device and a sound tube for said device terminating in a fixed location with respect to said phonograph: means for coupling said translating device to said tube irrespective of the position of the translating device in its path, comprising a structure terminating in a fixed location with respect to said tube and having an overall length substantially equal to the length of the path of said translating device; and means, disposed between the end portions of said path and movable within the length thereof by the movement of said translating device, for coupling said sound duct with said translating device.

RICHARD M. SOMERS. 

